Walking out of admin I feel very uneasy.
It's the feeling like I'm in deep water where I can't see the bottom. There's an inherent sense of danger but don't know where it's coming from.
The new "headmaster" is definitely hiding something and I think X knows what it is. One thing is for certain, I have to be careful with who I choose to trust.
One person who seems to be just as confused as I am about what's going on here as Barnum is Blair. From what I can tell she's not hiding anything. I think I can trust her.
I hurry out to the hall from admin so quickly that I'm not watching where I'm going.
Something brushes past my foot when I go to step and I nearly trample it. I quickly jump over it and to the side to get a look at it.
It's a weasel.
From the looks of it the same weasel from yesterday that I saved on the trail. It sounds crazy that I'm being followed by a weasel but it's fur is white and red in the same color pattern as the one before.
Maybe that's just a coincidence or maybe all weasels look the same when their coats are changing in the fall.
It sees me and goes up on it's hind legs sniffing the air.
I look around and the hall is empty except for me and the weasel.
If someone with the same mentality as Harry and his friends were to come across it that could be fatal for the weasel.
To save it from meeting that possibility I pick it up. I'm headed outside anyway. For a wild animal he seems very friendly, almost like a pet. I carefully tuck him into my blazer pocket and he rolls up like its a warm nest.
The schedule lists only two classes and I already missed Horticulture class today. All that I have left is Nature Survival. I make it out to the courtyard just in time.
Mr.Kinsley is talking with one of the school security guards.
I try my best to be discreet since it looks like everyone else is already here. I don't want to draw attention.
That doesn't work out.
Blair runs straight up to me as soon as she sees me and jumps into my arm. I catch her, holding her up by wrapping my arms around her body in a warm embrace. I hold her in the air for a few seconds before lowering her back to the ground.
I take two fingers and move the strands if thick red hair hanging down in her eyes.
Now we're face to face again. I feel her breath against my chin as she looks up at me. I stare into her sapphire eyes intensely and forget that anything else is around, almost.
Temptation of a kiss is snuffed out by the immature ranting of the three bullies.
"Get a room!" Harry yells.
It's the vocal equivalent of an alarm clock, waking me up from a dream.
Blair pulls away almost instantly. She doesn't go far.
I look over and Arlon and Jacob are making kissy faces in the air mocking us.
"Alright. Shall we?" Mr.McKinsley's voice rings through the space.
The group closes in towards where he's standing.
"Nice you of to join us Mr. Abbott."he says.
I respond with a quick "thank you sir."
He leads us out the side entrance.
He's dressed in shorts and a t shirt and wearing a gold necklace. He also is wearing really nice running shoes.
This is the first bad sign.
All of the students are dressed in uniform; slacks, a dress tie and blazers, skirts and stockings for the girls and all wearing either loafers and dress shoes.
None of us are prepared to sweat or run.
"Try and keep up." he says before taking off jogging down the trail.
"Are you serious?" I ask shouting after him.
I stand there for a second debating whether I should just walk. I'm not really in the mood to run.
Harry bumps my shoulder hard as he passes. He and his 2 lackeys are the first after.
Something inside me starts to boil up. Almost like a switch that's just flipped.
I can't let them beat me.
I start to take off after them then realize something is moving in my pocket. I forgot about the weasel. I rush to the side to let him out and he scurries of back into the wilderness.
I take off running after them.
I feel my heart pumping as I run. It's like when you're dreaming that you're running. Your feet feel like you're barely touching the ground. Your muscles don't hurt and you never run out of breath no matter how hard you push.
I start to run faster but I make sure to mind my step. The ground is rocky.
I catch up to Arlon quickly. I can tell by the looks in his eyes they're surprised to see me.
Jacob and Harry are just a little faster. I catch them too.
I running so fast that it's to the point where it's just me against Mr.McKinsley. He's in good physical shape but I manage to keep up. He starts to push himself. His gold chain slaps back and forth across his chest. I'm right next to him.
He patters to a stop in an area not far from a stream.
He falls onto his butt, panting for air, he looks up at me.
My breath is thick but I flash a smile.
"I'm not as young as I used to be."he says joking.
My heart is racing, not from being tired, its from excitement. I catch my breath before anyone else reaches us.
Harry and his friends are first of the class to catch up. Next are a couple of the other boys. I'm surprised to see Blair is the first girl to reach us.
Once everyone else arrives Mr.McKinsley hops up and walks over to the stream.
"Who here can tell me if this water is safe to drink?"he asks.
He waits for a response but all there is is the sound of deep panting and low groans.
"Nobody?"Mr.McKinsley asks.
"Rather not drink fish piss"a voice says from the back.
Harry and his friends along with a few other of the more childish ones start to laugh.
"Very funny, Mr.Dupree." McKinsley says pointing out that he recognized that it was Harry who said it.
When he calls him out I can see the embarrassment on Harry's face.
"Anybody else?" Mr.McKinsley asks.
He looks at me as if he knows I know the answer.
"It's drinkable." someone says from the back.
The crowd parts to see who it is.
It's Dennis Labeaux. We have a couple other classes together, algebra and horticulture I think. He's a little skinny but besides that the typical good looking kid. Most of the time he's in class he spends flirting with one of the girls in the back seats.
Dennis steps forward with confidence, the same way he does most things.
"Why is that?" Mr.McKinsley asks.
Dennis starts to explain why.
He points out the fact that there are fish in the water and he can see the bottom.
"Well Dennis, care to test it?"Mr.McKinsley says.
Dennis walks over and bends down. He takes one of his hands and takes a big scoop of water. He hesitates for a second then brings the water to his lips and starts to slurp.
"Great." McKinsley says "now who can tell me what Dennis did wrong.
"Drinking the water to begin with" Arlon says.
"Why?" McKinsley asks.
He looks at me again.
This time Blair notices. She looks at me too as if waiting to see my response.
I know the answer.
There are fish but that doesn't mean it's safe. There are no animal tracks nearby which means no animals have drank from it.
The water looks clear but we can't see the source.
Worst of all, the flow of the stream is slow. It could be acidic and have all types of bacteria.
I know this, but I don't say it.
Mr.McKinsley starts to list and explain all the reasons why Dennis shouldn't have drank the water.
Dennis turns green and rushes, ironically, towards the stream and starts throwing up.
McKinsley gives me a look as if I could've stopped it. It's kind of hypocritical, he's the teacher and he not only let it happen, he encouraged it.
I didn't step in because I don't want the attention. From this point on I'm going to do my best to stay under the radar at Barnum, at least until I figure out what's happening.
YOU ARE READING
Unseen (Book 1)
Fiksi RemajaStory of a young teenage boy who's been kicked out of schools only to find himself enrolled in a boarding school in another country. Little does he know the students, staff and even the school itself are more than meets the eye.
